The Paranormal Database

Devil's Home

Location: Llandulas (Clwyd) - Pen y Cefn Mount
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Old Nick once set up home in a cave here but was driven away by clergy after his presence grew too much for the locals to tolerate.

The Devil strutting his funky stuff.

Dancing Devil

Location: Llangattock (Powys) - Field north of Llangattock Park
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: 23 June (or Midsummer Eve) (reoccurring)
Further Comments: On the eve of Midsummer, the Devil would emerge and spend time dancing with the local fairies around a clump of trees.

Satan steals a church.

Stolen by the Devil

Location: Llangyfelach (West Glamorgan) - Church with separate tower
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Devil stole the tower of the church but Saint Cyfelach caught him and forced Old Nick to drop it a short distance away.

The dog-headed devil.

Tall Man

Location: Llanilar (Dyfed) - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: One of several churches in Wales where the Devil was once said to have appeared in the form of a man with an evil looking face (or the head of a dog), with his appearance causing illness to witnesses.

Devil's Hideout

Location: Llanrhos (Clwyd) - The Devil's Tree (old oak tree)
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Eighteenth century?
Further Comments: Contained within the branches of this old, withered oak tree, Old Nick sometimes hides. The troublesome Devil would leap onto the backs of men as they passed, draining their energy and not letting go until they reached home or somewhere safe.

Tall Man

Location: Lledrod (Dyfed) - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: One of several churches in Wales where the Devil was once said to have appeared in the form of a man with an evil looking face (or the head of a dog), with his appearance causing illness to witnesses.

A loch in Scotland.

Devil's Coach Marks

Location: Lochs in Scotland (various districts) (Highland) - No exact location given
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Winter (reoccurring)
Further Comments: During the winter months, when the Devil visits Scotland, the wheels on his coach leave visible marks across frozen Lochs.

Petrified Witch

Location: Lomond Hills (Fife) - Carlin Maggie
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: This large column of rock is reportedly Maggie the Witch, who failed the Devil on so many occasions he finally hit her with lightning and turned her to stone. Another version of the story says Maggie deliberately antagonised the devil, resulting in her petrification.

Divot Tosser

Location: Lower Deeside (Aberdeenshire) - Baldarroch Farm
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Circa mid-eighteenth century
Further Comments: Local cunning man Adam Donald visited this farm after the devil moved in, throwing divots at the family and causing kitchen utensils to dance (what would now be seen as poltergeist activity). Donald's use of the arcane arts ensued peace returned to the household.

Hill Creation

Location: Lower Quinton (Warwickshire) - Meon Hill
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Seventh century?
Further Comments: Upset by the building of the Evesham Abbey, Old Nick threw a lump of dirt at it, but the prayers of Saint Egwin deflected the missile. The projectile ended up many miles away, becoming Meon Hill.

Escape Route

Location: Lundy Bay (Cornwall) - Lundy Hole
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Hole still present
Further Comments: While combing her hair nearby, Saint Menfre was confronted by the Devil. She threw her comb at him, striking with such force he dug Lundy Hole in his haste to return to hell.

Frozen Nick

Location: Lydmarsh (Somerset) - Windwhistle Hills
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The area is said to become so cold at night that the Devil died of exposure and is buried under a hill. Phantom highwaymen are also said to ride around the countryside.

Dancer

Location: Lynton (Devon) - Ragged Jack (rock)
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: For the heinous crime of leading a troupe of dancers on the Sabbath, Jack was turned to stone by the Devil.

Winner

Location: Maesteg (Mid Glamorgan) - Mountainside near Colliery
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A group of miners playing cards invited a passing stranger to join their game. He sat with them, quickly winning all hands, although the game quickly came to an end when the miners fled, having realised their guest had cloven feet.

South of the River

Location: March (Cambridgeshire) - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Church still present
Further Comments: The villagers of March wanted their church in the village, but the Devil felt so passionately about his fenland he moved the construction materials across the river.

Devil's Jumps

Location: Marshwood (Dorset) - Clumps of trees between village and Thorncombe
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: The small clumps of trees between these points are where the Devil bounced along the ground after being kicked by the Abbot of Forde. Some say that these trees move to a nearby stream to drink late at night, while others tell of the Devil returning after dark to swing from tree to tree.

Dropped Church

Location: Marston Moretaine (Bedfordshire) - St Mary the Virgin church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Devil tried to steal the bell tower, but found it too heavy and dropped it after several steps - church and tower remain separated to this day.

Moved Stones

Location: Matching (Essex) - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Devil tried to prevent the church from being built by moving stones at night, but he ultimately failed.

Tongs

Location: Mayfield (Sussex) - Mayfield Convent
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: This convent holds the tongs used by St Dunstan to grab the Devil by the nose - the fallen angel was disguised in woman's clothing, but St Dustan noticed his cloven feet. After the attack, Old Nick ran off to the springs at Tunbridge Wells.

Old Nick moved many churches back in the day (public domain).

Sinking Church

Location: Millom (Cumbria) - Sunkenkirk (aka Swinside) stone circle
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Stones still present
Further Comments: A church is said to have once stood here, but the Devil appears and dragged it underground - all that remains are fifty-five stones that form a circle.

Petrified Quoits

Location: Moretonhampstead (Devon) - Hel Tor and Blackingstone hills
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: According to legend, King Arthur stood on Hel Tor, the Devil on Blackingstone, and a game of quoits ensued. They threw discs at each other until Arthur finally won - the Devil, disgusted with the outcome, turned the last two quoits into stone.

The Mottistone Long Stone, Isle of Wight.

St Catherine's Throw

Location: Mottistone (Isle of Wight) - Long Stone
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Stone still present
Further Comments: To settle a dispute over who should control the island, Saint Catherine and the Devil agreed to a stone tossing contest. Saint Catherine's throw was straight and true, landing some seven miles away. The Devil's throw fell short and, true to his word, he left the island. Other versions of the story replace Saint Catherine with a neighbourhood giant, but with the same outcome. Either way, the thrown boulder remains for all to see. It is now thought the two stones are part of a Neolithic long barrow, but of course, I'm sure that's what the Devil wants you to believe.

Wild Humphrey

Location: Nesscliffe (Shropshire) - Kynaston's Cave
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Circa 1500
Further Comments: Wild Humphrey Kynaston, local highwayman and friend to the poor, used this cave as a hideout. His horse could make jumps so daring the creature was said to either be the Devil himself, or alternatively, the Devil had helped the horse.

Devil's Hoof

Location: Newington (Kent) - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A hoof print is visible in a stone by the gate. The Devil was once so upset by the sound of the church bells, he climbed the steeple with the intent of stealing them; he slipped and fell, leaving the single piece of evidence behind.

The Pot o' Pittenyoul

Location: Newmill, Keith (Moray) - Stream by the hamlet
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Pot o' Pittenyoul was a small, rocky pool along the stream. A local legend said that one of the worn stones was a seat used by the devil.